The Long, Hard Road
by Onhiro
Summary: Ruby has survived long enough to make it to the best hospital in Vale. However, her wounds are very severe, and her battle is just beginning. The road ahead of her will be long and hard, filled with challenges the likes of which she has never experienced before, and she will need all the support from her friends that she can get. But her strength is not small, and she will fight!
1. The Price Paid

**AN- This is the continuation of Things Lost. This fic, as evidenced by the title, will follow Ruby as she travels down the long, hard road of recovery. Not much action in this story, it will nonetheless be definitely rated M, as Ruby is going to go through a lot, and she and the rest of her teammates are going to see some things that are hard to bear.**

**A bit of background, I work on the ICU as a Nursing Assistant, so I understand the daily life of patients. I am not, however, a nurse or a doctor. I am not authorized in the slightest to give any sort of medication, and my knowledge of more advanced medical procedures is somewhat limited. However, for what Ruby is going to be going through, what I know should be enough. Anyone in the audience who has medical knowledge/training, feel free to correct any glaring mistakes that I make. Thanks!**

**While there isn't likely to be any character death (I don't think), there is still going to be death in this story, and it might be a bit emotional. This story, then, is an homage to all hospital workers out there and all patients who need, really need, the care found in Emergency Departments, ICUs, and medical floors. Ours is a difficult and oftentimes thankless job. We are screamed at, peed and shit upon, sometimes assaulted, and we get to know people only for them to die in our care, because that's what they wanted and needed. All this and more is going to be in this story.  
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**This story, my readers, is going to be my most personal fic that I have ever put up, because while the characters are fake and the world is fictional, it is all too real to me. I live this, every day. Tread lightly, please, and remember that in your comments. The patients will not be real, and shall have more than just their names changed from any real patients that I may have encountered, but my experiences, both uplifting and tragic, will take a part in this story.**

**As always, read, enjoy, and please review! Your thoughts are terribly important to me.**

The Price Paid

Her baby sister shouldn't be so still. Yang looked down from the observation room as the surgical team moved in a complicated yet intricately seamless dance around the operation room. She watched as they cut away ruined flesh, clamped torn blood vessels, and sawed away bone. She sighed heavily, heart aching as she looked away, if only to steel herself for the next look at the quiet, still body on the brightly lit table. By the time she and Weiss had arrived, Ruby had been prepped for emergency surgery, x-rays and CT scans revealing the extent of the damage. The surgeon had found her just before the operation began, and explained what he was going to be doing in a solemn, matter-of-fact voice. She had wanted to scream at him as he told her that the damage to her right arm was too severe, they couldn't save the amputated portion. _She's my sister, you fuck, act like you care!_ she had wanted to scream as he quickly pointed out the terribly dislocated elbow, the crushed radius, the burnt ulna.

"We're going to have to amputate above the elbow," he had said with as much passion as if he was discussing a tragedy on the other side of the continent. She had felt her eyes start to go red, but then she had to force herself to face the grim reality of this poor surgeon. This was the best trauma center in all of Vale; to this man, Ruby was just another patient. A terrible thing had happened, and he was going to do the best to fix it, but he had to have done operations just like this dozens of times, and had operated on those worse off who knew how many times?

It had been nigh impossible for her to swallow her rage and calm down enough to ask the right questions, but somehow she managed, if only barely. "Her eye?" Entirely destroyed, all the Aura in the world couldn't bring it back. After the amputation, he was going to clean out the socket. "The burns?" Stabilized with emergency Aura, but thirty percent of her face was badly burnt, second and third degree. The primary concern was the arm and her airways, but after she was stabilized, skin grafts might be an option. "Any other injuries?" Yes. We spotted internal bleeding in multiple areas, three of which require surgical intervention. "Am I allowed to observe the procedure." Ordinarily, no, but given the patient's identity and the circumstances surrounding her injury, you and you alone are allowed to watch, as you are her only family. Would you like security to escort you to the observation room? "Yes, please."

A big and solid looking dog Faunus had taken her to the room where she now stood, and offered his most sincere condolences as he excused himself. And now she was alone in the dark room, thoughts and heart tortured as she looked down into the impassive, bright hell that was steadily tearing her sister apart in an attempt to save her life. Never before had she felt so helpless, so damn useless! Even as deep in her torturous thoughts as she was, she was still alert enough to hear the soft shift of fabric behind her.

She blinked, straightened, turning her head slightly to the side. "Why am I not surprised that you managed to get in here?" she asked into the darkness.

"Sebastian and I know each other. The security field is not so large that two fauni in high ranking positions would be unknown to each other."

Yang glanced back at Blake, taking in the trenchcoat, the gloves, the slicked back haircut, and the bandage along her cheek. The Crimson Claw had been determined, and had managed to wound more than just the one of them. Again that rage roared up in an inferno that screamed for justice, for revenge, and she remembered the feeling of skull collapsing under her gauntleted fist with relish. Feeling the flames crackle around her as the room lit up with her Aura, she forced herself to breath deep and slow. Last thing that she wanted was to set the fire alarm off.

Blake watched her with calm eyes almost freakishly devoid of passion. But Yang knew well enough that her girlfriend had long mastered the art of appearing stoic even when she was wracked by emotion. If she felt even an iota of the feeling that Yang was, she must be concentrating very hard on appearing cool, calm, and collected. "Blake…how did we let this happen?" she asked, voice tortured as she shot another glance at her sister. Oh, God, they had completed the amputation, skin loose around an upper arm that would never again lead to a living elbow and hand. The surgeon paused, one of his assistants wiping his brow, and he made a comment that had the room nodding.

Blake said nothing for moments that dragged into eternity, instead choosing to walk up next to Yang, resting her head against Yang's shoulder. Yang blinked, shocked. If Blake was looking for comfort like this in a public space, she must have been much more shaken up than Yang had expected. Without thought, Yang brought her arm around her lover, holding her closer. They stood in silence, drawing comfort from each other's presence. But finally Blake sighed. "They have been getting more and more dangerous and intelligent. Maybe we've killed all the stupid ones, I don't know. But now we're going to have to install even more security measures." She made a growling noise, deep in her throat. "That's going to take even more time and money, and those bastards will figure out new ways around them. Bloody vicious cycle!"

Yang squeezed her, bringing her even closer. "Hey, you've been doing a great job! You have to admit that attacks have gone down, and that more and more shipments have been reaching their destinations since you took over security."

Blake scoffed, even as her hands came up and fisted in Yang's jacket. "But what attacks remain are getting more and more deadly. What can I do to stop the madness? The more of these attacks occur, the more humans think we are monsters!"

Yang crooned softly, petting the back of Blake's head. "It's okay, it'll be okay," she whispered, even as she looked down on bloody evidence that proved that things _wouldn't_ be okay, not for a long time. "What about the White Fang? The more peaceful factions have finally been getting recognized as peaceful organizations in the other cities. Maybe they'll be interested in helping fight against the Crimson Claw. Your last intel report said that both groups were hostile towards each other, right?"

"…Yeah. I don't know, though, I'll have to talk to some of my contacts. I don't know how willing they'd be to help the SDC."

"You've done so much already, of course they'll be willing to help! Schnee Dust is _the_ leading company in faunus work rights, and that's because of you and Weiss! The White Fang can't ignore that. If Weiss is assassinated, things will surely deteriorate, even the most stubborn of White Fang members should see that, right?"

"I don't know…some of the goat fauni can be really stubborn," Blake retorted in a deadpan voice.

Yang couldn't help it. The laugh wasn't long…more of a surprised snort of amusement than a chuckle, but it was something. "Well, we'll work with some of the other fauni, the more open-minded ones. And last I checked, the new leadership liked Ruby after she helped them with that Grimm infestation and the violent crowd of humans."

"Yeah, that is true." Again, they stood in silence, watching the surgeon make a small, skilled incision on Ruby's stomach, assistants and nurses standing by with various tools and suction tubes. Even in her uneducated eyes, Yang could see that this team really did work very well together. "Yang?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think that they're mad that we missed our reservation at the restaurant?"

It was the dry tone more than the words that had Yang give out a bark of laughter. Good grief, two jokes in only a few minutes…Blake was really trying to get her mind off of what had happened. "If they are, fuck 'em. We'll have Junior send his goons to go mess with them."

"Nothing too serious, I trust?" Blake asked drily.

"Nah, of course not. A couple of bad reviews, maybe overacting the parts of gangsters, nothing permanent. 'Hey, waiter, I asked for the filet mignon to be shaped like a fish, what gives?' she asked in a mockingly deep voice.

"I think that that's just about the best that they could manage."

"Heh. Did I ever tell you about how a bunch of them were beat up when they tried to rob a shop that Ru…" she started, and then drew to a close, grin fading quickly, her eyes once again looking down as the surgeon tied off a row of neat stiches that closed his incision in Ruby's toned stomach.

Blake frowned, grabbing Yang's hand tenderly. "Hey, there's nothing more that we can do from up here. Let's go. I'm sure that there's a veritable crowd waiting for some news. And Weiss…she's alone right now."

Yang sighed, tightening her fingers around Blake's. "Yeah, you're right. He knows what he's doing, doesn't need to worry about me jumping through the window to beat him up if I think he messed up or something."

The door opened, and closed. Silence once more reigned in the dark room that continued to bear witness to the efforts of the team down below, racing to fix what damage they could before time ran out for one of the most renowned huntresses on the entire continent. This room, and others like it, had all watched, and would continue to watch as those who paid the heavy price of the preservation of civilization came under the scalpels of those who sought to reverse, to lessen the price carved out of flesh by those who wished malice upon the protectors of Vale. The rooms had seen glorious victory and heartbreaking defeat, but one fact had always rang true. The price paid was heavy, at times almost unbearable, but the peace and posterity bought with wrecked and shattered bodies was worth any cost that had been or ever would be demanded of the brave men and women who answered the call of the hunters and huntresses who had gone before them. Generations before and generations after would be brought to this room for healing when their strength had failed them, secure in the knowledge that by bearing that terrible price, they ensured that civilization would continue, boldly proclaiming to the creatures of Grimm and the enemies of peace and tranquility in one fell voice, _We will not go gentle into that dark night…forevermore shall we fight! We may be broken, we may be slain, but our siblings will rise up again! Oppose us if you dare, THIS price we shall always bear!_


	2. From the Watchful Shadows

**AN: So, I had actually really wanted to get this chapter up over Labor Day weekend, but that didn't happen. Still, this chapter is pretty long, like eleven pages on Microsoft Word! Yay! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews I've been getting so far, they've been insightful and provide excellent motivation to this writer. On that note, my schedule is pretty busy (up at 0430, in bed generally around 2200, yay Army schedules!) so chapters will likely be sporadic. Sorry!**

**Anyway, this fic is likely to work on a rotational POV basis. Weiss had her POV in Things Lost, which really is like the first chapter of this story. Yang had her POV last chapter, now it's Blake's turn. Until Ruby awakens, you can expect this pattern to continue, but minor characters might have brief moments of POV stardom. These sections will be clearly marked.**

**My rambling is over, onto the chapter! As always, read, enjoy, and please review!**

From the Watchful Shadows

It was always interesting to note how certain parts of the brain simply never turned off. Even before Beacon…maybe even _especially_ before Beacon, Blake had always been hyper aware of her surroundings. And it all kept coming back to how she was a faunus. Her ears let her listen more closely, her eyes allowed her to see more clearly, and it was only the cruelest irony that her keen senses made her more aware of all attacks directed towards her because of her heritage. The very things that kept her safe were the things that brought humanity's cruel judgment and vicious attacks on her.

Of course, back then, when she was still with Adam, if anyone had told her that she'd be dating a human and that she'd be the head of security for the Schnee Dust Company…well, Gambol Shroud would have been very busy, very quickly. And yet, here she was, marching down the corridor at the Vale Medical Center, Surgical Wing, the armband bearing the SDC logo on her trench coat's sleeve announcing to the world quite clearly where her loyalty lay. An orderly walking toward her took one look at her, flinched, and stood aside.

How scary was the determined mask that she wore as a face, that the man didn't even notice Yang just a few steps behind her until they had passed him? They passed a window looking out into the night, the bright lights of the hallway turning it into an effective mirror. Ah! Well, then…maybe she should tone it down, just a tad. Yet as grim and impassive as her face may appear to those who didn't know her, her mind was racing a million miles to the minute, cataloguing intersections in the hallways, stairways and elevator shafts.

_It will be expensive_, she mused as she ran through the basic calculations. _But we mustn't let our guard down, not even for a moment_. At the moment, Ruby was just about as safe as she could be, what with three of the strongest huntresses in Vale in the same building as her, especially since all of them were prepared to make the same sacrifice that she had made, if only to ensure that no further harm came to her. But Weiss had the company to run, and Blake…as much as she hated it, her duty was by Weiss's side. She could stand constant vigil over Ruby's bedside, but that wasn't cost effective.

If anyone could be expected to stay here, it would be Yang, but Blake knew her well enough to realize that that wasn't her style. She was a dragon, and dragons hunted down threats, burning them away until nothing but cinders and ash remained. _Add another thing to do_, she groused silently. Yang was strong, but the Crimson Claw were fanatical and would do anything, bear any price if only to take down Ruby's sister. Here, with team RWBY on the defensive, they couldn't win, and they knew it. But Yang was too impulsive, and the Crimson Claw were smart enough to use that against her. She'd need back up. Blake fought the urge to sigh. She needed to talk to Weiss…where _were_ the waiting rooms?

They turned a corner, and over the whisper of her soft soled boots and the heavier tromp of Yang's combats, they could hear Weiss talking, and loudly. Blake glanced over her shoulder, and Yang met her inquisitive glance with a shrug. Then a door slid open, and the muffled, irate words became clearly understandable as Weiss stormed into the hall, one hand tightly clenching her Scroll. One look at her mad, pinched expression told Blake all that she needed to know. Weiss was talking to her father.

"I don't _care_ what you think, we're going to do it! We have a responsibility to-" she hissed, eyes sparking, but got cut off by a low, dangerous growl on the other end. Her lips thinned to a dangerous white line, a line that softened marginally when she glanced down the hall at the two of them. "Yes, _father_, I realize that he did not have any life insurance policy, and that he had turned down the policy offered by the company. But that does not change the fact that-"

Once more she got cut off, and as Blake and Yang approached her, her hand tightened more and more on the Scroll, casing creaking ominously. Finally, after listening in seething silence for a long, tense minute, she straightened, subconsciously slipping into one of the aggressive stances of her fencing style. "Mister Schnee," she began in a calm, icy voice that you almost had to strain to hear. Blake smirked. When she started getting quiet was when Weiss was the most fun. The voice on the other line silenced, though whether from the tone that would make a Death Stalker take pause or because of her use of his name, Blake didn't know. But like all master fencers, Weiss took advantage of his misstep. "_I_ am the head of the company! _I _am the one who makes _all_ executive decisions! When _I_ say that the Schnee Dust Company will honor that man's sacrifice to the company by ensuring that his family will never want again, then by _God_ it shall be so!"

The voice on the other end started to say something, but Weiss drove on. "You have no say in the matter, Mister Schnee, or did you forget that part of the contract when I took control of the company from your inept, greed blinded hands?! You will _not_ speak of this manner to me or any on the Board again, or I will review your separation packet and determine just how much I value your so called contributions as to how I should run _my _company. Good day, father!" Not allowing him the chance to reply, she ended the call. The three of them stood for a moment in that charged silence, and then Weiss deflated with an explosive, stressed sigh. "They need to make a Scroll that you can slam shut," she griped. "Poking the screen with a furious finger just doesn't have the same effect."

"So, telling off the ol' bastard?" Yang asked with a cheeky grin.

Weiss glanced at her, rolled her eyes, and gave a slight shake of her head, the slightest of smiles teasing the corners of her lips. But the grave reason why they were there ensured that any mirth was short lived. The smile died, and Weiss focused on Blake. "Report?"

"The area is secure. Hospital security staff has been augmented by SDC personnel, individuals that I personally called in. They are trustworthy, and can fight well. Vale has lent some of their police officers and a few of their mechs to watch over the hospital, but they are not likely to stay long. However, by the time that their shifts end, I'll be able to allocate more resources, as is necessary."

Weiss nodded imperiously. "Make it so." She turned once more to the window, looking out into the darkness. With a weary sigh, she rested her hands on the window sill, her shoulders slumping. "How is she?"

Yang joined Weiss at the window, one hand briefly clasping the fencer's shoulder before the pugilist turned and leaned her back against the wall next to the window. "The team in there is good…I don't think that the hospital would offer anything but their very best for Ruby. By the time we left…" She paused, eyes darkening with the weight of memory. "When we left, the amputation had been completed and they were working on her internal bleeding."

The weariness fled from Weiss's face, replaced with a dark, ugly anger. "We'll make those animals pay!" she hissed through clenched teeth. Blake stiffened at that, eyes narrowing. Weiss saw the subtle shift even in the translucent reflection in the window. "Oh, don't give me that look, Blake. I've long come to terms that the White Fang and most fauni want peace just as much as I do." She straightened, turned. "That's why I chose you as my head of security. That's why I started working to make Faunus Equal Works Rights. But those who've chosen to join the Crimson Claw _are_ animals, rabid beasts that are so enamored with their lust of death and terror and misery that they can't contemplate any other course." Then she relaxed, the weariness once again returning. "It's not just fauni who can become animals, but humans, too." She gave a tired gesture with her scroll before pocketing it.

"Yeah, speaking of the old coot, what was that all about?" Yang asked with an inquisitive tilt to her head, arms folded over her chest.

Weiss grimaced. "He heard that I was going to pay the family of the truck driver half again his salary until the wife reached retirement. The lawyers said that she could be a stay at home mother, now, if she so chose. He left behind his wife and three children. Like hell I'm going to let them worry about their future."

Blake tilted her head in recognition of Weiss's generosity. Her years in Beacon spent with Team RWBY and Team JNPR had done much to turn her from an ice queen into someone who truly cared about her employees and subordinates. Far from the self-absorbed and spoiled girl who had first strode into Beacon like she owned the place, Weiss was someone that Blake felt privileged to work for and someone whom she was proud and honored to call her friend. Inasmuch as no one truly deserved to be the target of terrorist attacks, Weiss was still leagues above her father, even at so young an age. How many other twenty-three year old women were CEOs of major corporations, and-

The double doors down the hall burst open, and Gambol Shroud practically appeared in her hands, her reaction time barely beating Yang's as she slipped into a boxer's stance, Ember Celica wrapping around her fists, or Weiss's as Myrtenaster hissed out of its sheath to point down the hall, Weiss's body poised to charge.

"Nora!"

The exasperated and achingly familiar voice had them all relaxing as Nora jogged towards them, Ren struggling to keep up. However, unlike usual, Nora's face wasn't filled with carefree joy, but was instead focused and somber. Before Weiss could react, Nora was on her, enveloping her in a hug. She held her for a few moments before pulling back and holding her by the shoulders. "We came as soon as we heard. Pyrrha and Jaune are on the way from Mistral, they should be here tomorrow morning. Do you guys need anything right now? I'm pretty certain that I could find some pancakes or something really quick…"

"Nora, I don't think they want pancakes right now," Ren gently chastised as he joined them. He nodded respectfully to Blake and then looked to Yang. "How is she?"

How indeed, Blake asked herself as Yang bit her lip, chewing it worriedly before answering. "It wasn't pretty…she's lost her right eye and arm…they had to amputate just above the elbow."

Silence followed that grim statement. Nora was the first to respond, hands covering her heart. "But…her _hunting_…what's she going to…?"

"I don't know!" Yang snapped, voice tight as her irises started to bleed a furious red again. Blake gently slipped her hand into Yang's, and with great effort, Yang calmed herself down, eyes returning to their lilac. "I don't know. We'll just have to wait and cross that bridge when it comes. For now, she just needs to heal. We're just waiting for her to come out of surgery."

"It shouldn't be too much longer," Weiss murmured. "She's already been in there for three hours."

Yang started at that. "That long? It didn't seem like it when I was in the observation room…"

And no wonder, Blake mused to herself as she gave a gentle squeeze to Yang's gloved hand. She was well acquainted with grief, and knew how it could make moments last an eternity, but could also whittle away hours like they were mere minutes. The amputation alone had taken an hour and forty-seven minutes.

"Yes, well, time pauses for no person," Weiss stated offhandedly. "They should be done soon. Meanwhile, we all have tasks that should be completed, or at least planned for." Blake stood taller at that, releasing Yang's hand and clasping her behind her back as she awaited instruction. No surprise that Weiss be the one to take charge now. "How long are you two in town?"

Nora shrugged. "As long as you need. What do you need from us?" It _was_ a bit unnerving to see the normally bubbly and almost spastic young woman so somber and focused, Blake thought with a shiver as she took in the diamond hard glint to Nora's eyes.

"Right now, do you think you can stay here and act as a boost to security until Pyrrha and Jaune arrive? They're more suited to defense, whereas your skillsets are a bit more…aggressive."

And now that diamond hard glint turned cruel and almost psychotic. This was the same person who had offered to break Cardin's legs, all those years ago, Blake reminded herself. "Oh, the Crimson Claw will soooo regret pissing you off, Ice Queen," Nora practically crowed as she patted Magnhild lovingly, a predatory grin spread across her face.

Weiss smirked at that. "I don't doubt that." The grin disappeared. "Yang, for right now, I want you to start using your contacts from your bar, anything you have with Junior, whatever. They probably don't know anything, but they might know someone who knows someone who does. Find them and ask them the questions that need asking. We will find the Crimson Claw who made this happen, and we _will_ make them pay.

"Blake, do the same with your White Fang contacts. I know that they won't be keen on giving information that will result in attacks on fauni, but the Claw is now threatening the peace that we have so painstakingly built. We must not let them get away with it."

Anger flaring up, Blake held her tongue for a few moments, instead staring at Weiss with cold eyes. Did she really know what she was asking for? Yet Weiss never faltered, no flickers of doubt ran behind her determined expression. Fine, then. "I'll start that tonight, Miss Schnee," she dutifully replied, voice frosty, only betraying a fraction of the anger roared through her. Yes, the Crimson Claw was dangerous. Yes, they needed to be addressed appropriately. She knew that…but asking the White Fang for information that would result in even more bloodshed…

Evidently her formal words struck a chord with Weiss, and her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh, don't give me that, Blake!" Weiss snapped. "'Miss Schnee, I don't like what you said so I'll act like it's only because you're my boss that I'll do what you say!'" she simpered mockingly. "It's too late in the game to play that card! Ruby, the girl I…my best friend is lying in surgery, with her bloody _arm_ cut off! I know that you have no great love for humanity and its mistakes, but I thought Ruby was your friend, too!"

Blake frowned, only more in concentration at the strange slip of Weiss's than in anger at her words. She wasn't the only one who noticed. Ren grimaced and fished something out of his pocket before handing it to Nora. Conveniently behind Weiss's back, Nora held up the twenty dollar bill, waggling her eyebrows suggestively at Yang and Blake. Ah. _That_. Mmm, something to think about later. Anger drained by the truth in Weiss's words, Blake formed her words very carefully before responding. "Weiss, Ruby _is_ my friend, one of the few that I actually have. And what happened to her…nothing has ever made me angrier. Ever. Not the insults and slurs and abuse that I received from your kind, not White Fang's descent into violence and alliance with that bastard Torchwick and that bitch Cinder…nothing comes even close. But what you are asking might be too much. Whatever rapport that I have with the current leadership of the White Fang might be lost if I ask for the location of those that attacked us. Even if they don't know, the fact of the matter will be that I, a faunus, will be asking others of my kind to betray our brethren so that a human may get revenge on an attack on another human."

Weiss flushed angrily, but Blake held up her hand. It was truly a mark of their friendship and trust in each other that Weiss held her tongue, allowing Blake to continue. "Yes, White Fang knows that Ruby is truly a hero, willing to help anyone in need. Hell, she's even helped them when they needed it, and they'll remember that. But her deeds of kindness can't erase decades of bigotry and hate. The peace between humanity and the White Fang is exactly as you described, tentative, and the leadership might not view this logically, instead letting their memories and passions get the better of them." Blake shrugged helplessly. "I can do as you ask, but I fear that it might do more harm than good."

Weiss sighed explosively, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed, face thoughtful as she worried her lip. Finally, she nodded. "Right, then. Don't ask them for any information. Instead, try to set up a meeting between me and the senior leaders of the White Fang. I don't expect it to be in person, as I know that will not happen…not yet, at least. I feel that it is time that I stop relaying my messages through you. After all that we've accomplished, I think that the least that they can do is begin talking directly to me. And that way, any request for information can come directly from the source."

Yang nodded. "Makes sense, and it would be good to set up direct communication. But seriously, what makes you think that they'll give you, a human, information that they wouldn't give Blake?"

Weiss smirked at that. "I'm a master negotiator, remember? I convinced my father to step down from his position as CEO…if I can do that, I think I can manage this."

Blake couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. However, the Ice Queen did have a valid point. "Alright, I'll try my best to set up a teleconference. Anything else?"

"Coordinate with hospital staff, particularly security. It would be a great victory for the Crimson Claw if they managed to finish the job and kill Ruby. We'll see how long Pyrrha and Jaune can stay and help, but start planning in detail. I know I already told you to do all this, but I want to make it crystal clear. I want a detailed report for security measure to be taken by the hospital and by the company for the expected duration of Ruby's recuperation. I don't need names yet, but personnel numbers, equipment needed, anything the hospital might need to augment its forces, how much this is expected to cost, everything you can think of."

Blake patted the pocket that held her scroll reassuringly. "I'll have it to you by tomorrow evening." Weiss smirked, the grin tinged with fatigue, her eyelids drooping slightly, and Blake felt a pang of concern. Some head of security she was…Weiss was strong, but Ruby hadn't been the only one to get hurt today. She glanced at the bandage just under Weiss's left eye. An inch higher, and combat skirts wouldn't be the only thing that Ruby and Weiss would be sharing in common. "Come on, let's get you back in the waiting room and at least sitting down. You need your rest."

Weiss nodded as she closed her eyes, fingers pressing lightly against her temple. "You might be right. But what about you two?"

Yang shrugged fluidly. "Eh, I'm fine. I think I've had tougher days and nights running the bar."

Weiss rolled her eyes as the five of them went into the waiting room. "Of course you would say that. And I suppose it was a silly question. Blake?"

"I'm unaffected, and I need to work on the report. You relax, the four of us will keep watch. Try and get some sleep."

Weiss sank into one of the plush seats, groaning with relief. How much of her composure and poise had come from determination alone? She settled deeper into the seat, eyes drifting shut. "Even a five minute nap would be welcome. Wake me if we get any news?"

Blake laid a gentle hand on Weiss's shoulder. "If anyone in that room so much as sneezes, you'll be sure to find out. But we'll leave you be unless it's big news, okay?"

"Mmm, just what I expected from my personal ninja," Weiss breathed softly before her face relaxed, a soft, unladylike snore sounding within moments.

Personal ninja, huh? Blake snorted softly to herself as she pulled out her scroll and began the work given to her. Worked for her. Fit what she did almost perfectly. Watch from the shadows, ever vigilant and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Ruby's shattered body flashed in her mind's eye, and her hand tightened on her scroll. And when that perfect moment came, the Crimson Claw _was_ going to pay for their crimes…and the price of their heinous acts was going to be steep indeed!


	3. The Burden Carried

**AN: My word, this took forever to write! I suppose that's to be expected, though, I actually got commissioned to write for pay. And while I enjoy this story, I don't get any money for this, haha. So that's that. It's also been pretty busy here, and I expect it to get even more so in the following weeks. We've got several large projects due, and two field exercises, as well as our culminating exercise. I will try to write when I can, but make no promises.**

**I tried to make this one a little longer, and it has 4,052 words of content, so hopefully y'all enjoy. Please read, enjoy, and review!**

The Burden Carried

Weiss groaned softly, trying to turn into the material of her bed, that didn't quite feel soft enough, eager for even five more minutes of sleep. Yesterday must have been full of meetings for her to feel this bone tired, even after-

Her eyes snapped open, to be greeted not by the sight of her bed, but instead of a beige sofa. No, not in her room. And while yesterday had been consumed largely by meetings, that wasn't what made her feel this exhausted. She closed her eyes, shuddering at the flashing memory of concussive shock, a flare of hellish light, and the acrid smell of things not meant to burn set aflame. Gritting her teeth, she shook her head, and forced her eyes open. There was no sense hiding from the day. A low murmur of voices in the corner of the waiting room caught her attention, and she looked over to see Blake talking to the hospital's chief of security, Yang standing supportively by her side. Something fluttered in her chest as she remembered Ruby doing the same thing for her, more times than she could count.

…She had always been able to count on Ruby, hadn't she? And now, Ruby was lying somewhere in this hospital, and it was her fault. If she wasn't Weiss Schnee, than perhaps this would never have happened. Perhaps Ruby would be able to walk in that door, both arms waving excitedly about one thing or another. Her chest twinged again, but she shook it off, standing as gracefully as she could, despite her body screaming in protest. It was the least she could do for Ruby.

"Weiss." Blake was coming towards her, face blank, though Weiss could catch that glimmer of concern in her friend's golden eyes.

"I'm fine, what's the situation?" she asked as she made a brushing motion with her hand. If only she could brush away this entire situation as easily…

"Time is currently oh-seven-forty-three, Ruby came out of surgery three hours ago, almost to the minute. Her vitals are currently stable, and she's in the ICU. Mister Lyall has some of his best guards on the floor, and currently Nora and Ren are standing guard right at the door to her room. Ruby hasn't woken up yet."

Weiss nodded. "And I wasn't awoken when the surgery was over because…?" she asked leadingly, trailing off while letting an annoyed look flick across her face, a mask to hide the worry that surged through her chest.

Yang was the one who answered her, her shoulder rising and falling in a fluid shrug. "Don't get your panties in a twist, Weiss, we figured you could use a little more sleep. The doc said that everything was normal."

Weiss grimaced disapprovingly at that. "I still should have been woken up!" she insisted.

"Weiss, really, think about it. You needed the rest more than you needed to know. Heck, it was only just recently that your Aura finally recharged all the way," Yang chided with an annoyed frown. "And if you're going to get pissed at anyone, get pissed at me. Blake wanted to wake you up, but I stopped her."

Weiss sighed wearily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Okay, fine. The past is past, there's nothing we can do to change it. Anything else, Blake?"

"I took the liberty of phoning the company. They know that if you do come in today, it won't be until noon, at the least. The board is going to hold things down until you go back in. Clean up and repair is already underway on the front entrance and drive. The hospital would also like to give you a quick examination, now that Ruby is safe and stable. They aren't expecting anything too severe, of course, or else they would have forced you into the ER, but they want to do some basic tests just to be positive." Weiss opened her mouth to argue, but stopped. The look that Blake gave her was cold, hard, and uncompromising.

"Fine, where is it?"

Blake's smirk was nothing if not victorious.

And so Weiss found herself in an examination room fifteen minutes later. "Wouldn't even let me get my tea," she grumbled to herself as she idly glanced at her nails. Great. They looked like the nails of a laborer. Maybe after she made sure that Ruby really was okay, she could arrange an appointment with her salon. She felt her lip curl back in disgust at that. Ruby was still unconscious, and here she was, worried about her damned nails. But that was the despicable part of it, she _had_ to be conscious of her appearance, all the way down to the tiniest scuff on her nails, the smallest stray hair. The Crimson Claw committed an act of terrorism, and she had to present a strong, unruffled front to the vermin. They would be searching for the smallest sign of weakness, and she couldn't afford showing any to them. Such was the price of being the head of the company, the face that everyone looked to in times of chaos. Everyone carried their own burdens, this one was hers.

The door swung open, and she looked up as a doctor walked into the room, peering down at her chart, likely looking over the vitals that had been recorded by a nurse right after she had been brought to the room. "Miss Schnee?" he asked, glancing up at her with eyes that were warmly sympathetic and also worn down and tired. His were the eyes of an emergency department doctor, who had likely seen a great deal of pain and death in his time.

"Yes?"

"I'm Doctor Petersen, and I'll be conducting that physical examination so that we can get you clear, alright? But first, can you tell me your full name and date of birth?" Mindlessly, she rattled off the info, and he smiled his thanks. "Good, memory is good, response was fast and accurate, and your speech is clear. Are you feeling any sort of headache?"

"No. I did at first, and I think I suffered a pretty bad concussion when the truck…when _it_ happened, but I think my Aura healed that up pretty quickly. Now I just feel really tired, and there's like…I don't know, almost the memory of pain, right behind my eyes, as though if I try to remember it or move my eyes too quickly, it'll be back. But for an actual headache, no, I don't have one."

"That's good news. Are you feeling pain anywhere else?"

She glanced at her hands, remembering the feeling of blistering hot asphalt searing her scraped palms, but now the skin was as smooth as ever, no sign of the minor injuries that they had withstood. "No."

"Not even under your eye?"

Her hand came up, on its own accord, touching the bandage that had been placed there while en route to the hospital. She had grown so used to the thing that she no longer took note of its presence, and the wound that lay underneath didn't hurt unless…she hissed slightly, pulling her finger away. Unless it was directly touched. "A little, if you touch it."

"The benefits of being a Huntress, I suppose," he mused. "Mind if I take the bandage off?"

"No, please, by all means."

She tried not to wince at the feeling of the adhesive pulling at her skin, nor at the way the bandage's dressing pulled at the wound itself. But there wasn't much resistance, and the doctor didn't have to soak the bandage in saline, as was sometimes necessary for when the dressing became saturated with blood and became stuck to the wound. But to her surprise, his face was not happy when he finally removed the bandage. "What's wrong?"

"Well, the wound is pretty much closed, I don't see any signs of fresh bleeding. It looks like it's completely scabbed over and well on the way to creating new skin. However…if we had gotten to this sooner, we'd have been able to stitch it. Now…it's going to scar pretty badly."

She flinched at that. "Is there any way…?"

He shook his head. "Not really. We'd have to make another incision directly over the wound in order to reopen it, and then give you the stitches."

She swallowed heavily at his words. "How bad is it?" The cut hadn't felt that big, and it hadn't hurt as much after the first few hours. By the time her father had called her, she had forgotten about it, she was so wrapped up in everything else. Wordlessly, Doctor Petersen gestured towards the attached bathroom, and Weiss approached it cautiously, almost dreading what she would find in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, she stepped in, hand finding the light switch. Closing her eyes, she flicked the light on. _Okay, Weiss, on the count of three, open your eyes. One…two…three_!

Her eyes snapped open, taking in the young woman in the mirror. Bags under her eyes, her frazzled, and slightly stooped shoulders showing the fatigue that she felt. But the greatest change lay under her left eye, a rusty red horizontal line that bisected her old scar almost perfectly. She stared at it for a long moment, before sighing heavily and bracing herself on the sink with slightly shaking hands as her eyes wearily slid shut. It wasn't good…but wasn't as bad as she had feared.

"Miss Schnee?" Doctor Petersen asked from the examination room, voice carefully gentle.

Her eyes snapped open at his words, face determined. "I count myself lucky that this mark is all that I will have to bear as a result of that attack, and let it remain so that I will always be reminded of the price of complacency."

"Miss?"

She turned around, facing the doctor, standing tall and proud. "It stays, Doctor. What kind of person would I be to be concerned with such a scar, when Ruby lost so much more? I thank you for your service. Will that be all?"

The look he shot her was unreadable, and he held her in his gaze for an uncomfortable moment before finally nodding. "I feel confident that you are none the worse for wear. However, if you get any sudden increase in pain, or start to feel lightheaded or dizzy, seek immediate medical aid. No more stubbornness, Miss Schnee. If you had visited the ER right after the attack, like you had been asked to, your scar would be much less noticeable."

She nodded gracefully, acknowledging the truth behind his words. "If I start to feel worse, I will come in. Thank you for your time, Doctor. I really appreciate your service."

"And I yours, Miss Schnee," he returned, and upon noticing her confused face, he went on to elaborate. "The Schnee Dust Company is well on its way to being the leading company that gives the hospital grants. That started after you became CEO."

Ah, that's right, she remembered as she excused herself and began to make her way to the ICU waiting room. Upon finding out exactly how much the CEO position was actually paid, she had nearly had a conniption. What was distressing was that this wasn't just a failing of her father's, but could be seen in most major companies. What use did she have for that much money? After calculating how much she needed to maintain the Schnee estate and adding a little on the side for the occasional girl's day out or extravagant purchase, she had still had millions left over. Part of that went to giving a collective pay raise across the board, making her employees some of the better paid workers in the world. The rest went to charities and as grants to organizations like schools and hospitals within Vale. The media had gone absolutely ballistic, and her rival business owners had ridiculed her, calling her a little girl who had no idea how to run a business. Fools. She hadn't touched public stock to do any of it. It had all come out of her own paycheck, so the stockholders actually benefited, in the end. She still had enough money in other stocks and in savings that she could live like royalty for the rest of her life, if she so wished.

But really, it was father's reaction that had hurt the most. That had been the angriest she had ever seen him, as he bellowed that she wasn't worthy of the family name, that he wished Winter had been born first. Feh! Bastard only wanted that because Winter would have been easier to control. He was just mad that she was improving the Company in ways that he had never even dreamed, with that black, greedy heart of his. Productivity went up, employees stayed with the Company longer, reducing the amount of time needed to train new employees, and she was being lauded as the leading vision in industry.

_That_ had made the pain of her father's rage disappear, that look of quiet pride and approval in Blake's face when she revealed her plan to her. And Ruby…she didn't think she had ever been hugged that hard by her team leader before. Yang had thrown her a party in her bar, and the hangover the next morning was astounding, but totally worth it. That had been the first time that she had done something outside of her job as a Huntress that she felt truly proud of, the first 'right' action that she made as a CEO. And the fact that she used the resounding success of her decision to begin talks with the less militant leaders of White Fang to begin a Faunus Worker's Rights program a month later was merely icing on the cake. Rather than dreading working for the SDC, Fauni workers began to flock in, eager to work for one of the few companies that aggressively instituted anti-discriminatory practices and offered equal hours and pay between human and Faunus workers.

She had so much that she could be proud of, and so many people looked up to her as one of the more forward thinking CEOs of any company. And yet there were still bastards like the Crimson Claw out there, who dared to hurt her and her friends! She paused there, standing in the hallway leading to the ICU, and she took a deep breath; unclenched her hands. No need to get angry now, when there was no point to it. She was in control…she'd save the anger for when she could put it into action.

"Miss Schnee?"

…And here comes the anger again. Well, less anger and more exasperated frustration, she reminded herself as she turned to face the speaker, lips thinning in distaste. "Mister Arc."

Jaune, looking sheepish and as clueless as ever, even if he was well on to the way of manhood. But she still remembered how he hadn't taken a damn clue, and had kept asking, no matter how many times she had said no. How Pyrrha stood him, she'd never know. But now, at least, he was well aware of what he had done wrong, and Dust help him if he tried to do anything stupid.

That had been an unpleasant afternoon, when she had finally just been so sick and tired of it all. And not just against Jaune, but her friends, too. The look of hurt on Ruby's face when Weiss had lashed out would never be forgotten, but she had been so tired of the harassment from Jaune and feeling like she couldn't even depend on those who were supposed to have her back. Thankfully Ruby, Yang, and Blake had apologized first once they realized just how bothered Weiss was, and she had explained to them precisely why she was so mad. The four of them had tracked Jaune down, and explained to him, in very simple terms, what he was doing and why it was wrong. The look of horror on his face when he finally, _finally_ realized that he was little better than the sleaze-ball scumbag predator at the bars who sexually harassed women. Since then, their relationship had been frosty. He'd never be quite forgiven, so far as she was concerned.

Well…he was an ally, a comrade-in-arms…some bonds forged at Beacon could only be undone by the most heinous of actions. But he would never be her friend. "I would like to thank you for coming out to help…I know that it's quite a long trip."

He relaxed marginally. "There's no way that we wouldn't come…unless it wasn't safe for Pyrrha." Wasn't safe for Pyrrha…what did _that_ mean? "Ruby was the first person he became my friend at Beacon…without her, I don't know if I would have stayed, or did as well."

"Well, her and Pyrrha."

He gave a small grin. "Ruby convinced me that coming wasn't such a bad idea. Everything else goes to Pyrrha."

Almost as though summoned by her name, Pyrrha came around the corner, as graceful and regal as ever…not to mention very much pregnant! "Jaune, has Weiss come back from…oh! Weiss, how wonderful it is to see you again, though I wish it were under better circumstances." Her smile was more dazzling than usual, and Weiss got the feeling that this was what people meant when they said pregnant women glowed.

"Pyrrha! I'm glad you could make it!" They embraced, Weiss careful not to press against Pyrrha's protruding belly. "And you brought a surprise!" Was she sounding a bit manic? She might be sounding a bit manic.

"Yes, I know, and I'm sorry for not telling anyone earlier, but we wanted to keep it a secret."

Weiss blinked at that, confused for a moment. But then she realized it. Just as she was a target because of her last name, so too were Jaune and Pyrrha both. And the fact that they were having a child would catch the attention of many a ne'er-do-well. "Oh, of course. But…what about the baby? Is it safe for you here, if the Crimson Claw comes to attack?"

Pyrrha's grin was positively serene. "I'm not so far along that I can't fight, and with my Semblance and Jaune's protectiveness, I very much doubt that anyone could get close enough to even touch me, let alone do me harm."

"So, it's a healthy pregnancy?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it is." It was Jaune who answered her, as he walked up next to Pyrrha, draping a protective arm over her shoulder. "I may have screwed up a LOT of things in the past, and I know I make mistakes all the time…but I refuse to fail as a father. If Pyrrha couldn't have made the trip safely, we wouldn't have come. I'm sorry, but there are some things that I simply can't risk."

…When had Jaune grown up so much? Yes, she could still see the bumbling teenager who had infuriated her to no end while at Beacon, but she could see a determined strength within him, from the set of his broad shoulders to the steely glint in his eyes. For a brief moment, she felt a flicker of regret. Like she said earlier, the past was past, and couldn't be changed, but if Jaune hadn't been so pigheadedly stubborn in his pursuit of her, they could have been friends. Ah, well. No use dwelling on it. Jaune was still valuable as an ally in Ruby's protection.

"I can respect that. Now, what I'd like for you to do is for you to guard Ruby until we can clarify that she isn't under threat of another attack, or until she's recovered enough that she is no longer as vulnerable."

"Do we have a time frame?"

"No. She still hasn't woken up, and I haven't spoken with any of the doctors yet. It's still too early to know anything, but I don't think it'll take longer than a month for her to be placed on the medical floor."

Jaune nodded. "We can only hope. Alright, I'll have my team augment yours. Nora and Ren can assist Yang while she tries to find those that did this. Pyrrha and I can stay here, helping out the hospital security. Have you thought about contacting Beacon for help? I'm sure that Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch would be more than happy to lend some of the more experienced student teams to help."

She stared at him, wordless for a moment. No, she hadn't thought of that. She had been thinking too much on what resources her company had to offer, and what Vale and the hospital had available, and hadn't thought of asking for help from Beacon. Stupid! How could she look over something that simple?! "That's a good idea, thanks. Do you mind making that call? I'm going to be busy hunting down my own leads, and running the company."

"Yeah, we've got that covered. Yang is waiting inside, and Blake disappeared like she does, saying something about talking with the head of security about cost figures."

"Right, thanks."

"Well, now that that's been settled, we're going to go get some food, the stuff they offered on the plane was atrocious, and while the doctor cleared Pyrrha for flight, I do _not_ trust that stuff!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I don't think anyone does." The two of them turned, began to walk away, hands finding each other, and Weiss felt a pang of…regret? As she glanced at their joined hands and noticed how Jaune's thumb rubbed comfortingly over Pyrrha's she found herself thinking of Ruby's hands…no, _hand_, now. So often with grime under the unevenly trimmed fingernails, palm rough with calluses from wielding her heavy scythe. Her heart gave another pang, and she yearned to go hold Ruby's hand now, and damn her responsibilities.

But she was in charge of Schnee Dust Company, and she had obligations to fulfill. And that was what made a leader. Put your own comforts aside, and focus on leading those under you. It would be so easy to do what she wanted, to shirk her duties, but then her father would have an excuse to try and retake the reins of power, and undo all of her hard work, and that was unacceptable. No, this was her burden that she carried, and it was one that she willingly took. She had to do what was right, not what she wanted. Ruby would understand. _Don't worry, Ruby, I'm going to be there as soon as I can, but I have things I need to do._

Her scroll in her hand, thumb already dialing the number to the Board, her walk was brisk and determined as she made her way down that short distance to the waiting room. The scroll was by her ear, and she was already talking, making decisions as she entered the room, eyes glancing longingly at the couches and chairs in the room. How she wanted to get a little more rest, how she wanted to see Ruby…but no. "Yes, send a messenger with my laptop. I need something more than my scroll to be effective. What's the status on the company? No, I don't bloody care. I've already made my decision regarding the events surrounding the event. I want the rest of the company proceeding as normal, but beef up security at our more vulnerable facilities. Yes. The news wants to talk to a representative?" She glanced at her watch. "Have them send someone to the hospital at two o'clock, I'll see about getting a conference room available. Until then, give them the usual fluff…I don't want your reassurances, Rich, I want results!"

It was a burden, yes, but one that she was prepared to carry, one that she had trained for years to bear. And, honestly? She didn't trust anyone else to carry this weight. She glanced at Yang, who was snoring lightly on one of the couches, and thought of Blake, no doubt tightening security even as she spoke, and she glanced out the door, thinking of Ruby, hooked up to who knew how many machines. Yes, this was her burden…but her friends made it easier to carry. _Don't worry, Ruby, I'll be there soon_. And some friends made the burden lighter than anyone else…


	4. The Hunting Dragon

**AN: Wow, yeah, this took bloody forever. However, the good news is, I'm going into my last week of heavy duty Army training. After that, I'll be home, and more able to write without worrying about various projects and inspections and what have you. So, yeah, sorry this took so long, and thank you for being so patient!**

**This chapter does have nudity and bodily functions in it, and starts going into the psychology of being on the ICU. You'll see what I mean. Hopefully you all enjoy! 4,210 words without the Author's Note, so it's another long one. Read, enjoy, and please review!**

The Hunting Dragon

Yang was in a bad mood. Hands jammed in her pockets, she barely remembered nodding to the hospital's receptionists as she made her way to the ICU. _Stupid freakin' underground contacts, couldn't find their way out of a wet paperbag!_ How hard was it, really, to find any info about the Crimson Claw? They had to have a base of operations in Vale to do something like the bombing! It had been too large of an attack, too organized, so why couldn't her contacts find anything?!

_Maybe after I visit Ruby, I'll go beat some information out of Junior_, she grumbled to herself as she got on the elevator. _Even if he doesn't know anything, it'll relieve some bloody stress._ The elevator dinged cheerfully as the doors closed, and she resisted the urge to punch the control panel. Stupid thing shouldn't be so freakin' happy. She knew academically (ha, see, Weiss? I _do_ know big words!) that her anger and frustration were caused by inaction, and that went against her very nature. She wanted nothing more than to go out there and make the bastards who hurt her sister pay for what they did, but there was no target for her to attack, no way for her to vent her frustration.

The elevator dinged again, and the doors slid open. Huffing angrily to herself, Yang stepped off onto the fourth floor, not even paying attention as she made the necessary turns through the corridors to reach the ICU.

"Oh, hey, Miss Xiao Long!"

She stumbled, startled at the sudden voice. She looked up, taking in the two Beacon students standing guard at the doors leading into the ICU. She had to fight the urge to roll her eyes at the looks of poorly disguised heroic worship in their eyes. Save Beacon and Vale, and what does it get you? Fans. "Hey, guys!" she replied, heavy with the false cheer. "How are things going?"

"Eh, pretty boring, really," the stocky, muscular male replied with a shrug. "Kinda wish that something would happen, just to give us something to-oof!"

His female classmate, a willowy girl with dark brown hair and a tanned complexion, elbowed him in the side with a worried glance at Yang. "I'm sorry, he doesn't mean anything by that…Xavier just isn't the smartest guy, and he sometimes has issues with waiting. And with social grace!" The last sentence was hissed warningly at the boy, who had opened his mouth, an annoyed look on his face.

Yang just sighed heavily, hand going to her brow. "Guys, chill out…it's okay. I hate waiting, too. Heck, I wish that the Crimson Claw would be stupid enough to attack the hospital, might give us a trail to follow." An awkward silence followed her words, and she shifted from one foot to the other. "So, uh…I'm going to go see my sister now." The way that they scrambled to get out of her way might have been comical, in other circumstances. But instead of laughing, she had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. However, as she was about to pass the threshold into the ICU, she shot the two of them a glance. "Listen, they probably aren't going to attack. You guys can stay in the breakroom, do some homework or something. You'll be close enough to react if something does happen, but there's no reason for you to be uncomfortable, just standing at these doors for hours, okay?" They nodded, and she grinned crookedly. "Don't forget to let all the other teams know, alright?"

Once more they nodded eagerly, and she shook her head to herself as she fully entered the ICU, doors swishing shut behind her. To have such youthful optimism and energy once more…yeah, she was still in her twenties and pretty darn young herself, but she had already seen things, experienced things that made her feel old and even jaded. The smile fled from her lips, all mirth gone from her mind as she walked down the corridor, hands once more jammed into her pockets, careful to not look around her.

She hated it here.

It wasn't one thing in particular. The staff members were nice and efficient and they obviously cared for their charges, so it wasn't them. The floor was kept immaculately clean at all times, and the lighting was excellent, with no sense of darkness or impending doom about this place. But all the friendly people and the best kept floors didn't change what this place was.

People died here.

Yes, many of the patients recovered, but some of them didn't. She glanced into a room at the sound of deep, painful coughing, looked away again, hunching down into herself. How could the staff handle it? The old woman with that terrible, deep, wet cough…she looked like a living skeleton, with sunken eyes that peered lifelessly into the hall. Yang shuddered, her step quickening.

"Miss Xiao Long, how are you today?"

Cerul, at the Nurse's Station, giving her a kind smile.

"Eh, could be better, I suppose," Yang replied, glancing back at room twelve. "She's…she's not getting better, is she?"

Cerul glanced at the room, smile leaving her face. "I'm sorry, but I can't discuss patient information with anyone either than family or someone who has been cleared by the patient." The words were gentle, and well used, probably repeated so many times that Cerul didn't have to think about them. But the eyes didn't lie, that look of tired defeat, of a sadness that went soul deep.

This was a place of pain, not only for patients, but also for those that worked here, Yang reminded herself as she walked away, empty condolences given to the young secretary at the desk. What did her pitiful 'sorry' do to alleviate the situation? It wouldn't make the old lady better, wouldn't take the pain away from Cerul. Her words did nothing, and were contemptible for that.

She wished Weiss was here, even if only to mockingly congratulate her for using the word contemptible. Her biting wit would be appreciated, make a distraction. She passed the nurses, some intent on their work as they stood at the mobile computer stations that kept track of patients and their treatments, others giving her a nod or friendly smile. They knew her face and name by now, more than a week after Ruby had been brought here. She returned the gestures, now painfully aware of the exhaustion noticeable in some of their faces and forms, of the tired sadness in the others.

It was different here, harder than the ER, in some ways, she realized. In the ER, the patients came in and left quickly, rarely staying more than eight hours, according to the statistics she had noticed on a poster the other day. But here in the ICU and on the medical floors elsewhere in the hospital, patients could stay for weeks, even months, slowly withering away until death finally came for them. The workers here…they really got to know their patients, were there to witness their fear and pain as their final hours drew to a close, or to see their joy and victories as their bodies mended themselves. Ruby would be the latter!

Speaking of…Yang frowned at the drawn curtain that covered the entrance to Ruby's room, puzzled at it. She mentally ran over the schedule of tests and doctor visits that had been given to her yesterday by Cerul, and there shouldn't be anything going on right now. Stepping forward, she gently tugged the edge of the curtain to the side, revealing-

"The _fuck_ are you _doing_?!"

The young man bent over the side of the bed, and more importantly her younger sister's _naked body_, jerked back as though scalded, washcloth in one hand. Ruby's body slumped from where it was laying on its side, the complicated tube system that went down her throat disconnecting with a hiss, and immediately after, an alarm began to go off. Shooting her an annoyed glance, the man moved quickly, slipping around the bed so that he could get to the respiratory tubes more quickly, reattaching them.

The curtain jerked to the side, one of the nurses stepping in. "Everything okay, Michael?" he asked, a curious glance taking in Yang.

"Yeah, sorry, Rod, Miss Xiao Long startled me while I was cleaning Miss Rose, and I let go of her. Her vent disconnected, is all."

"Do you need any help?"

"No, I'm good, thanks."

Rodney, that was his name! He glanced at the ventilator's control panel and at Ruby's heart monitor screen, and, apparently pleased, nodded. "Once you're done in here, I need you in room four. She needs to be wiped, and is rather insistent about it."

Michael sighed heavily at that. "Of course she is. Right, I'll be there in a few."

"Thanks."

The curtain closed again, leaving only the three of them in the room. Michael shot her an unamused glance as he made his way back around the bed. "As I already told Miss Rose, I'm washing her up. If you want to help, that would be much appreciated."

Yang crossed her arms over her chest. "You were touching my sister's butt. And you want my help?"

Michael shrugged. "Whether you help or not doesn't really matter, miss. I'll still get my job done, it'll just take longer. My name is Michael, I'm the Nursing Assistant on until 10:30 tonight."

"Isn't there a female that can do this job?" she huffed at him.

The look he gave her was dry as the desert. "Unfortunately, no. I'm the only assistant on right now, Cerul has to stay at that desk, and the female nurses are all busy taking care of their patients," he explained as he gently, carefully rolled Ruby back onto her side. "See? Miss Rose had a bowel movement, and I need to clean her up to prevent skin irritation and possible infection." Picking up the washcloth again, he began to wipe, motion gentle but firm. "Miss Rose, I'm cleaning you up right now, I should be done in a few minutes, okay?" he said, pitching his voice a little louder.

Yang stepped forward at that, hands going out to support Ruby. "Why are you talking to her? The Doctor said he was going to keep her on a medical coma until the end of the week, to help with the healing process."

With a well-practiced scoop, flip, and fold, he removed a particularly large piece of…that…from Ruby's crack, dropping the soiled washcloth over the brown stain on the pad that lay between her body and the sheets. "Well, yes, we want to reduce the chance of her agitating the wounds by moving too much, but we always talk to our patients. We don't know when they can or can't hear us. Better for us to always explain what we're doing, right?" His gloved hands went to a wash basin filled with soapy water and other washcloths. He wrung out another washcloth, and finished the cleaning, explaining the entire process to her comatose sister. "Do you have her?" he asked. "I've got to switch out her pads."

She nodded, and watched as he quickly rolled up the soiled pad, producing another one that he partially unrolled, tucking the rest under the soiled pad. "Okay, now I want you to very, very carefully move her wounded arm so that it won't be pinned under her body, okay?" She nodded, did so, and with confident hands, he removed the soiled pad and unrolled the rest of its replacement, smoothing out any wrinkles. "You can let her down now, thanks." The gloves came off, and were tossed in a garbage as he emptied the basin in the sink.

He was silent as he did a fast inspection, checking the many bandaged areas, the almost countless IV sites, the catheter and the half full bag of urine that it was attached to, and her ventilator before nodding, satisfied. Tossing the soiled clothes into the dirty linens basket, he produced a hospital gown that he proceeded to put on Ruby. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" he asked her, warm brown eyes dancing with mirth. "Your sister is clean, dressed, and none of her wounds opened, and now I get to go wipe the derrier of a four hundred fifty pound woman because she literally cannot reach down there to clean herself." He shrugged, a carefree smile on his face. "Gotta love it. Anyway, if you have any questions, feel free to ask, and if you need anything, food, water, a more comfortable chair or blankets, just stick your head out the door and call for me, okay? Thanks!"

The curtain was pulled open, and he whisked off down the hall, a bounce in his step. Yang watched him go, and she scratched her golden locks, puzzled. "The hell just happened?" she asked herself quietly. What a character, she mused to herself as she sat down in the chair next to Ruby's bed, settling in for the long vigil. If she was forced to wait, she could think of no better place to be. "Hey, Ruby, how are you doing? Yeah, I think your new assistant is a bit cracked." She pulled out her headphones, sticking one of the buds into her ear. "Still, he seems like a nice enough guy, though I'm not too happy that he's seen you naked." She paused as she loaded the playlist up on her scroll. Music blaring happily in her ear, she leaned back in the chair, sighing contentedly. "But, as long as he doesn't do anything improper, I suppose I can't complain too much." She glanced over at Ruby's still body, wishing more than ever for an over-energetic response. "I miss you, Ruby," she whispered, hand tightening around her scroll. "Come back to us, please." Nothing but silence answered her heartfelt plea.

Her scroll vibrated in her hand, and Yang jerked awake, wincing as she straightened, neck protesting. Huh. So she had dozed off. Wincing, she rolled her shoulders and tilted her head just _so_, groaning in relief as her neck popped several times, relieving the pressure that had built up while sleeping with her neck crooked. The orange light filtering in through the blinds told her that it was early evening now, and she blinked the grittiness out of her eyes as she smacked her lips, that sour taste that seemed only to come from naps heavy in her mouth. Then she glanced at the message, saw it was from Junior. Frowning, she opened it…

And froze.

Her teeth flashed in the dimming light as a predatory grin stretched her lips wide, eyes crinkling with the savage joy of reading the short message.

Anticipation thrummed.

She had a target.

She shivered as she hit the speed dial for Ren's scroll, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Hey, Ren? Yeah, we have a lead. It's shaky, but better than nothing. You know where my bar is? Good. You and Nora meet me there in forty-five minutes. Alright, see you then." She ended the call, glanced at Ruby. "Sorry, sis, but I've got to go. Just got a heads up on a possible lead. It would be terrible if we didn't get the chance to meet and get to know one another." She lay a gentle hand on Ruby's forehead. "Don't worry, we'll make it right again. This is just the first step. I'll be back tomorrow, I promise."

The curtain swished open and closed, and silence reined once more in the room, broken only by the sounds of the many machines connected to the young woman lying comatose in bed.

Vern hurried down the street, nervousness goading his frantic pace. He needed to get out of this damn business! Sure, he'd been saying that for years, but when he started working as a messenger and errand boy for the White Fang, it was never this bad. Even when Adam, psychopath that he had been, was in charge it had never been like this. He glanced over his shoulder, trying to see any patterns that didn't fit, trying to see anyone matching his pace or looking at him too intently.

Nothing.

But his instincts were all screaming that he was being hunted.

_It all freakin' started when I had to go see Junior. If that scumbag sold me out…well, I won't do anything, but the Crimson Claw might._

The Crimson Claw. He shuddered, taking an abrupt left down an alley. Ruthless monsters, the lot of them, and that was saying something, coming from him. He used to believe the propaganda, way back when he was a scared little boy, afraid of merely being Faunus. The horror stories were constant. Humans hated people like him, forced him to work in dark mines until he wasted away, his tortured ghost remaining deep underground for all eternity. He had gone to the protests, and wasn't even the youngest present at them. He had seen the hate in the faces of the humans. He had borne the burdens of his kind, and had rejoiced when the White Fang finally started fighting back. Hell, he had even been _proud_ when recruiters came for him, noting that he was fast and quick thinking, traits common to Rabbit Fauni. Good eyes for ambushes or bad situations, as well, and he had used them to his advantage for all the years he had worked for the White Fang, and had never gotten caught once, and every single one of his messages were delivered.

And then Adam had to get stupid, teaming up with that filth Torchwick and that psycho bitch Cinder. Oh, the White Fang had suffered greatly on that day, and Vern was never happier to be a messenger and considered to be too valuable to be on the frontline. Oh, he had been busy, delivering messages, enduring the cutting insults from Torchwick and the disinterested dismissal from Cinder, but when they had made their big move, he hadn't been there. The White Fang lost…badly, and many of the more radical members were lost.

And Vern had hid.

Oh, there was no _way_ he was sticking his head out of his bolt-hole once it was clear what was happening. He was a messenger, one of the best, and to be one of the best, he had to be a survivor. So that's what he did.

He glanced back once more, but no one had followed him into the alley. Gathering his strength, he leapt the three stories up onto the roof of the building to his right. He knew this part of town like the back of his hand. He could navigate it blind, sick, near dead…whoever was following him was going to have to work to get him!

Unless…he froze, long ears twitching as he carefully listened to the sounds of city life around him. Gang members, cops, even federal investigators…they didn't worry him. But there were others…

He took off running, leaping from roof top to roof top, letting instinct guide his route. He wasn't panicking, not yet, but fear definitely was near. _Bloody Crimson Claw!_ he snarled to himself as he dropped down to the street near the warehouse district. _Just HAD to pick a fight with the strongest Huntresses in Vale…maybe even in all of Remnant!_

And he was caught up in it because of his own stubbornness. If only he had sought out the White Fang after more reasonable leaders took charge again. Being their messenger would have been far safer. Instead, he had lain low for too long, until the Crimson Claw sought him out, eager to use him to deliver their cursed messages. He shuddered again, fear making his skin crawl, and his stomach tightened at the memory of seeing their eyes, filled with hatred and rage more potent than he had ever seen before as they made it quite clear that they weren't _asking_ him to be their messenger. He would either work for them, or die.

He broke out onto the main street again, noting that the crowds were far smaller now. He glanced left, blinked, froze. _Almond eyes, black hair, magenta highlights._ Features that he _knew_ he had seen before. _Oh, God!_

And he was off, cutting across the road, bounding over a honking delivery truck, ignoring the sound of squealing tires behind him as he fled. Hunters were after him, it was the only explanation. No one else interested in catching him would have been able to keep up. A quick glance had him veering his course once again, heading deeper into the warehouse district. The young woman with the light brown hair may have been smiling, but her eyes were filled only with the promise of pain, the glint to them purely psychotic.

The next few minutes passed by in a blur until he found himself on the roof of an abandoned warehouse. It was only a passing hope, but maybe he could hide and lose them…maybe they'd think that he kept running. He ducked through one of the large windows that had no glass panes covering it, and scampered down into the dark depths of the dusty, creaking building. His eyes were sharp, however, and he could see well enough to make his way, something that the humans wouldn't be able to. Maybe he'd lose them in the darkness! His footsteps muffled by the thick dirt and dust covering the floor, he found a small niche in between some machinery that probably hadn't been run in years.

Settling into a tense hunch, he calmed his breathing, trying to relax so that his pounding heart wasn't the only thing that he could hear. _I am small, insignificant, nothing. There isn't a scared Faunus here, just broken down machinery and dust. I'm not here…only darkness and emptiness are here._ As mad as he sounded, convincing himself that he was part of the machinery in the empty building, it had worked before.

But it wouldn't work this time.

_"Silly little raaaaabbit, thought we couldn't traaaack it…"_

The voice was low, crooning, almost sultry as it called out the words in a sing-song manner, and seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, setting his skin to crawling, the horrified sob that tried to claw out of his throat only stopped at the last second by an extreme twist of will. But the words still echoed through the dark, mocking him.

His hand flew to his pockets, where he had two Flame Dust vials, and the holster was still there, reassuringly heavy against his back, but he knew that he didn't have anything that could even slow down, much less hurt, a true huntress.

_"Thought that you could loooose us, but you didn't foooooool us…"_ the voice continued, breaking off into a giggle that was made all the creepier by how girly it was.

_She doesn't know exactly where you are!_ he told himself, cold sweat breaking out on his brow as he nervously lick his lips, ears twisting, searching for sound beyond the twisted lyrics.

"…And now…you're…_found_," the voice crooned right behind him, and he jumped, spinning, seeing his true opponent for the first time. Yang Xiao Long. Who didn't know what she looked like, after what she had done for Vale and Remnant? But above that twisted, _eager_ grin on her face, her eyes glowed a fierce red, glimmering like hot coals through the shadows cast by her bangs.

Desperation guided his actions as much as anything else. Even before landing, both hands crushed the vials that he had been holding so tightly, and he welcomed the pain as the glass cut into his palms, burning power running up his forearms. With a fierce yell, he threw out several punches, fireballs erupting from his hands, streaking through the air, and he saw that she didn't move, or even try to block the blows before they struck, exploding into howling infernos.

He landed, one bloody hand reaching back, drawing his pistol, and for a brief moment, he dared to _hope_ that he had managed to get her. But then the fire died down enough for him to see into the heart of the blaze, and for a second, his heart stopped in terror.

She still stood, Semblance activated, protecting her from the flames. The smile was gone, but she was staring at him with deadly red eyes, her hair shining like a beacon as it flowed in the air like a living being. "Silly little Faaaaaaunus, thought that it could huuuuurt us," she sang over the roar of the flames, voice still sickeningly sweet as she crouched down, flames caressing her body like a lover. "But dragons…don't…BURN!"

With the last shouted word, she burst forward, flame trailing behind her, and he only managed to fire once before she was on him, the round almost contemptuously swatted away like an annoying fly.

The last thing he saw was the look of seething rage, all taunting gone as she drew back her fist, torso twisting in preparation for the heavy blow, gauntlet forming over her fist. She twisted and the fist flew forward.

Flashing impact.

Then oblivion.


End file.
